Two men hurt in garage fire

Brock Wilbur, 20, of Dundee, remained a patient in Akron Children’s Hospital on Thursday night after he suffered burns in a flash fire in a garage at the Ruby Stress residence at 7497 Cherry Run Road NW in the afternoon. Hospital officials declined to provide information about his condition.

Brock Wilbur, 20, of Dundee, remained a patient in Akron Children’s Hospital on Thursday night after he suffered burns in a flash fire in a garage at the Ruby Stress residence at 7497 Cherry Run Road NW in the afternoon. Hospital officials declined to provide information about his condition.

Nick Stevens, 20, also of Dundee, a friend of Wilbur’s and Stress’ grandson, who also suffered burns, was being treated in Union Hospital in Dover on Thursday night.

The fire was reported at about 12:18 p.m. Thursday.

According to Strasburg Assistant Fire Chief Eric Houze, whose department was the first on scene, the two men were replacing a fuel filter on Wilbur’s Jeep Cherokee. He said that when the filter and fuel line underneath the vehicle were disconnected, a small amount of gasoline ran out and the fumes were ignited by a propane heater about 10 feet away.

Wilbur, who was standing beside the vehicle, was burned most severely, Houze said. Stevens was under the vehicle when the fire broke out. He initially was treated at the scene and refused transport, but later was taken to Union Hospital by a family member, Houze said.

Strasburg firefighters were joined by Wayne Township (Dundee) and Beach City firefighters at the scene. Houze said they first extinguished a small blaze in the garage, then turned their attention to the Jeep, which sustained major damage.

Wayne Township Fire Capt. Jason Ely said that Houze remained in charge because Strasburg firefighters had arrived first, even though the garage is in Wayne Township’s jurisdiction.